stay. [bts/taekook vampire fanfic]

vii.chapter

Jimin and Taehyung are making their way through Seoul during the busiest hour, their sides pressed against one another, both holding onto a tiny umbrella, which is the only source of protection they have against the heavy rain that had arrived not long before they left the school grounds. The streets are almost empty, majority of people knowing better than to walk in this ungodly weather, rather using vehicles as a form of transportation.

Despite the fact both of them love rain, this is too much. Not only that it's ice-cold, it is also accompanied by strong wind which cuts its sharp claws into their faces. They have tried to find a shelter, but the cafes were the first places that became over-flooded with people. Taehyung is trembling beside the older's side, the thin coat he has not being enough to keep him warm. As if the situation hasn't been bad enough, the only thing keeping them safe from the sickening drops gets ruined — the fabric of the umbrella turns inside out, which gets a yelp out of Taehyung.

Jimin looks around through squinted eyes and swiftly changes their direction. He drags the boy to an empty blind street, in which a small second-hand shop is located. They noticed it a long time ago on their almost daily walks home, but never went in — it's quite inconspicuous from the outside, so they figured it wouldn't be worth a visit.

Now it is the only place where they can hide. Jimin pushes the door open and gets them both through, the warmth of the space amiably welcoming them. Four pairs of eyes look their way, one belonging to a kind-looking woman behind the counter. She gifts them with a smile that sprinkles wrinkles around her eyes, making her seem even more approachable.

"Good afternoon. How can I help you?" she asks with a hint of a foreign accent in her voice. Taehyung looks at her with wide eyes, visibly disoriented. And Jimin can't tell her they are there solely to hide from the rain, and so he says: "Good afternoon. We would just like to look around." The lady gives them a nod and goes back to her work.

But seeing all the things around them, they find that the statement Jimin said might not be entirely a lie. Even though it looks rather boring from the outside, the inside looks like somewhere they could get lost for hours: it is full of clothes rack hangers arranged by seasons and layers of formality, and in one part, there is a section with shelves filled with books, next to which are tables and cabinets with antiques. A vinyl record is playing in a gramophone, underlining a cosy vibe the shop carries.

Jimin takes Taehyung's hand and drags him to the ranks of clothes, precisely the winter section. Eyebrows furrowed, he starts to go through the jackets of various colours and styles. "Which one do you like? We need to get you something, you are completely soaked."

"No need to worry... jackets don't really suit me, so I will just wait until this drains," Taehyung says, drops of water falling from his hair onto his cheeks. Jimin lets out an exasperated sigh when the younger one takes down his coat.

"Kim Taehyung, throughout the years I have come to the conclusion that it's physically impossible for you to look bad in anything you put on yourself."

He lets out a laugh: "How very kind of you. But really, I'm fine. I'd rather get something I will actually use more than once."

And so they wander around the shop, many things catching their eye, the time passing by quickly without them realising, and the rain outside reducing itself from heavy shower to pouring. They don't realise it, though: rather, they have a laugh while admiring the antiques, wondering if they are from the times Jin was born in. It's kind of their inside joke: neither of them know exactly how old Jin is, and so if something looks really time-honoured, they say it must be as old as he is. They try on clothes and giggle at the way they look in some of them.

At one point Taehyung snatches four books from the shelves and wants to show Jimin, who is on the opposite side of the room. He walks up to him and can't help but smirk when he sees what he is looking at.